Power Rangers Super Megaforce Review - Screenshot 1 of 3

Games that are tied in to TV shows are often little more than a quick cash-grab used to dupe unsuspecting parents into buying a sub-par game because their child will recognise the characters. No truer is this statement than when referring to Power Rangers Super Megaforce.

Once you load up the game, you'd be forgiven for letting out a small, childish squeal of glee at the sound of the words 'Go Go Power Rangers!' blasting from your speakers. The iconic phrase is heavily embedded in the inner children of many that grew up with one of the many series that the franchise produced. Upon getting into the actual game though, you'll soon discover that there's sadly nothing in this title as exciting as the title screen. That boot-up moment is the high point, and it's all downhill from there.

Power Rangers Super Megaforce Review - Screenshot 2 of 3

The game's single playable mode tasks you with running from left-to-right through a series of bland environments containing inexplicably large coins that you can collect to later purchase items. Within these levels you'll come across literally faceless enemies that you must defeat in order to progress. The game has a number of characters to choose from, but the sizeable roster is an illusion, as there are only a very limited number of attacks that you can use, and each ranger has access to two of them: one close range, one long range.

The long range attacks are pathetically weak, and even though you can perform more complex moves such as attack from the air, these are also useless compared to the standard close-combat alternative. The best tactic to use in this game is to mash the A button, which is not enough. There is another attack that you have access to — one which requires a few seconds of charge that a reasonable gamer would assume would be more powerful — but contrary to what anyone might think, this is in fact just as ineffective as the other moves that aren't the basic A button combo.

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The only entertaining aspect is the boss fights. You take on the role of one of several Megazords, a common element in the Power Rangers universe, and must engage in a fairly easy battle with another gargantuan robot form. The controls are similar to the main game mode, but the combat is actually much more engaging, as you must dodge, block and attack in the correct pattern in order to best your opponent. This combat shows promise, but still fails to deliver. After trudging through numerous boring levels the player is suddenly given a glimpse into what should be the most exciting part of the game, but it's all a bit predictable and over too quickly to warrant the five previous, dull levels leading up to it.

Presentation-wise, the game is lacking; dated graphics are the bread and butter for this time-warp brawler. All the levels within a particular chapter are basically identical visually, and apart from some fairly unimpressive platforming elements, often feel just the same as each other as well. The characters and enemies move in a stiff, unnatural manner whenever they do anything, and even the special move that charges as you deal damage to others is simply a re-hash of animations from other moves. The menus are a slap-dash effort with little flair or intrigue, and serve as an effective metaphor for just how lacklustre the game is.

Conclusion

Power Rangers Super Megaforce is an oxymoronic title to say the least. It's a tedious, boring and broken mess that feels like it was not only rushed, but made without a single shred of enthusiasm or passion. Even if you're a fan of the series, there's not enough to entertain you to make this a worthwhile purchase. The Megazord battles are much more fun than the main game, but they're few, far-between, and not enough to make trudging through the rest of the game worthwhile. Many may be tempted to try it out to relive some fond childhood memories, but there's nothing here for you aside from a disappointing, repetitive beat-em-up with nothing new to bring to the table. Even children who love the Power Rangers franchise will find little to engross them in this sadly disappointing title.